By Gladys Pollack, The Reader's Digest,
[2001]. Twenty years ago, the problem of homelessness
seemed minor and was thought to be about single men with
alcohol problems living on the streets. Today, in almost
every urban centre across Canada, the situation is
changing, and conservative estimates are that there are
some 200,000 Canadians—men, women and
children—who are homeless.

CBC TV, [2002]. A study published in August 2001
outlines some the reasons behind the homeless crisis in
Canada's urban centres. According to research by the
Centre for Urban and Community Studies at the University
of Toronto there is a lack of affordable housing in urban
centres.